★★☆I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas
2014年12月22日 ★★☆, VOA, Words and Their Stories.
Read and understand the story. If you may have any difficult words to pronounce and words you cannot understand, always ask your teacher.
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Vocabulary
*Read the words carefully.
- shine /ˈʃaɪn/ (v.)
- tradition /ˈtrəˈdɪʃən/ (v.)
- snowy /ˈsnowi/ (adj.)
- capture /ˈkæptʃɚ/ (v.)
- religious /rɪˈlɪʤəs/ (adj.)
- Do you enjoy winter season? What activities can you do during winter?
- How do you usually celebrate Christmas in your country?
- What is the most celebrated holiday in your country? How do you usually celebrate it?
to give off light
a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time
something such as a tire or balloon that has air or gas added to make it larger
to take and hold (someone) as a prisoner especially by using force
of or relating to religion
Article
I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas
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(1) Music fills the air. Colorful lights shine brightly in windows. Children and adults open gifts from loved ones and friends. These are all Christmas traditions.
(2) Another tradition is snow. Christmas in the northern part of the world comes a few days after the start of winter. In many places, a blanket of clean white snow covers the ground on Christmas Day. This is what is meant by a “White Christmas.”
(3) Of course, many places do not get snow at Christmas. In fact, they may be very warm this time of year. People who like snow, but live where it is warm, can only dream of having a white Christmas.
(4) American songwriter Irving Berlin captured these feelings in his song “White Christmas.” It is one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time. The opening words explain why the singer is dreaming of a white Christmas. Most people never hear these words, so they never really understand the true meaning of the song. Here’s how it starts:
(5) The sun is shining.
The grass is green.
The orange and palm trees sway.
I’ve never seen such a day in Beverly Hills, L.A.
But it’s December the 24th
And I’m longing to be up north.
Up north, where it is cold and snowy.
Not south, where it is warm and sunny.
(6) Over the years, hundreds of singers and musicians have recorded “White Christmas.” But the version most people still know best was sung by Bing Crosby.
(7) Songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia in 1888. He did not celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. He was Jewish.
(8) But his song celebrates an idea of peace and happiness that anyone, anywhere — snowy or not — can enjoy.
Discussion
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Tags: culture, International, lifestyle, people